Sneaking Around Read online

  Seth approached her expressionless. His apparent mood left Molly a bit unsettled since it was something she hadn’t witnessed before. She stood on her tiptoes, reached around his neck, and gave him a sweet hug. She was both glad he was okay and happy to see him in all his half-naked glory. When the hug wasn’t returned, she slowly dropped her arms, confused by the awkward encounter.

  “You didn’t come by the shop today. I was worried,” Molly said, full of insecurity, trying to gauge his demeanor.

  “Were you?” Seth mocked.

  “Well, yeah. I thought something might have happened. You usually text or call if something comes up,” she defended.

  Seth snorted. “Thought you might be busy.”

  “Busy? The shop is usually busy, but that’s not a problem. I always make time for—” She was cut off before she could finish her thought by a fiery tone she hadn’t heard from Seth before. Molly had clearly missed something. This wasn’t like Seth at all, and it left her uneasy.

  He shook his head, looked her in the eye, and declared, “I didn’t want to interrupt your company.”

  “Company?” she questioned, sincerely perplexed by his behavior. “I mean, I guess customers are like company, but…”

  “I saw it, Molly,” Seth said, his eyes full of what looked like hurt. “The whole damn town did. Evelyn posted you kissing some leatherhead,” he chided.

  “Dane?” Molly began to laugh.

  “Oh, so it’s funny?” Seth questioned.

  “No! No! I can’t believe Evelyn managed to capture that!” Molly shrugged with a deep sigh.

  “I bet…” He left his statement open ended for her to take in any way she so chose.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Molly was genuinely shocked by what he was implying. “Are you being serious right now?”

  “It means…I guess it’s just better to find out sooner than later that I was reading our relationship different,” he admitted.

  “Wait, there is nothing going on with Dane. He is my uninvited and unwelcome free loading ex! Marcas O’Reilly had to get rid of him for me!” Molly pleaded, not sure it was even worth defending.

  Seth felt like an ass, realizing he very well could have read the entire situation completely wrong. His source was Evelyn, after all. But now, what did he do? Did he believe her, or have any reason not to believe her? The troubled look on Molly’s face told him it may not matter. He had hurt her…deeply. He watched tears well just shy of spilling over Molly’s long lashes when his conscience finally got ahold of him. Seth was a fucking asshole.

  “I really can’t believe you thought…” Molly briefly choked on her words, pausing to collect herself. She would not let this man affect her with his implications. “Of all people to believe…you believed I would...”

  Molly shook her head and backed away, offering her last words on the topic before she turned and walked away. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Guilt felt like a knife to Seth’s heart, and he was the one who stuck it there. Had he really just done that? Accused Molly of something based on a picture from public enemy number one? Seth wasn’t sure how or why he had let that image take his mind where it had or why he would accuse her of anything. It was Molly, sweet Molly.

  It was time to eat crow and fix what he had wronged. Seth could reconcile all the feelings that led him here later. Molly waved him off without even a look his way when he called out her name, trying to stop her, even ran part way down the station lot to the sidewalk to catch up, but Molly didn’t want to be caught.

  The sound of a honking horn stopped him in his tracks when a car full of young girls hollered and whistled out the window, reminding him of his attire, or lack thereof, and bare feet. The last thing Seth needed was for Evelyn to capture this and run with it. He would fix this. He didn’t know how, but he would.

  “Dick move, man,” Hunter deadpanned.

  Just what he needed — not only his boss, Hunter, but Hunter’s brothers, Forest and Sheriff Jasper, to witness his jealous tirade and the humiliation that followed. If that wasn’t enough, Marcas O’Reilly was with them. The O’Bannon brothers were tight, and all worked as some of Pine Valley’s finest in the hero department. Real badasses — and they had an O’Reilly with them. Fan-fucking-tastic. They all liked Molly. Her four best friends happened to be these guys’ women. This wasn’t going to end well for Seth.

  “Looks like you blew it, Spangler,” Jasper accused. “I knew you were an idiot…but that? That was all kinds of asshole!”

  Seth leaned forward, hands braced against the fire truck, trying to collect himself while he sucked in a deep breath. “Might have. Damn Evelyn fucking Shirley.”

  “Evelyn Shirley?” Hunter questioned.

  “It’s her fault. She’s been posting shit about Molly and me for weeks…months, actually. Evelyn is a ruthless old broad and has it out for Molly,” Seth shared, getting the guys up to speed. “She caught some scene at Molly’s store with a guy. Made it something it obviously wasn’t, and I fucking fell for it! What the hell was I thinking?”

  “I was actually heading that way in a bit. Marcas mentioned there was trouble over at Molly’s shop with some wannabe biker guy,” Sheriff Jasper offered, although Seth was sure smartass Jasper would pop up any moment. “Wanted to make sure she was all good.”

  “Sounds like you’re jealous. Got a little butt hurt over a picture…you’re such a pussy.” Forest cut the bullshit and said what everyone including Seth was thinking. “You should have hauled your ass over there and asked the dickhead with long Barbie hair what the fuck he was doing with his hands on your girl…but that’s just me. That’s what a man would do.”

  Seth felt defeated, evident by his lack of rebuttal of any kind. He stood there and took the insults because he deserved them, and because the guys were right. Seth was a jealous jerk, and he may have just ruined everything.

  “Well, I have a little situation with Barbie hair guy — Biker Barbie…whatever we’re calling him…” Marcas informed the group. “He’s staying at my hotel…as Hyrum Kavecky. That’s why I’m here actually,” he said, looking to the sheriff.

  “Hyrum Kavecky?” Forest blurted out in a boisterous laugh. “That doesn’t sound like much of a badass. Shouldn’t his name be like Tank or Knuckles?”

  “One, you’re stereotyping. And two…I’m pretty sure he isn’t Doctor Hyrum Kavecky from Sausalito,” Marcas said. “I was going to have the sheriff here come down and deal with him since he isn’t a sixty something doc, and to keep him out of Molly’s hair. But I wonder if there isn’t an opportunity for redemption for the kid here,” Marcas said, looking at Seth. And man did he have Seth’s attention — he would do anything to right his wrong, and it started with getting rid of Biker Barbie.

  “Hmmm, you might be on to something, O’Reilly. Two birds, one stone. I like how you think,” Jasper replied before giving Seth a once over. “Go get your fucking clothes on, Spangler. You’re getting a second chance here.”

  The group of men took off down the street to Marcas’s hotel, the Pine Valley Grand, which sat only a few blocks down Main Street. Five big beautiful men full of badass alpha swagger on a mission to deal with Mr. Kavecky, help Molly, and win the girl back. Seth may get a lot of shit from these guys, but today, they were there to help him inflict it.

  CHAPTER 11

  Marcas let the men into Dane’s room with his master key. Being the owner had its perks. Sure, it was probably illegal on many counts, but having the sheriff with them made that less of an issue. The room was tidy with champagne on ice as well as several silver domed platters sitting on a long buffet at the opposite end of the room.

  Barbie guy was planning something of a ruse to win someone back it seemed. A romantic evening was his ploy. It was time to rid Marcas of his freeloading identity thief, let Seth defend his woman’s honor, and rid Pine Valley of the garbage that blew in earlier that day.

  Dane entered the main living area of the hotel room, fresh out of t
he shower, to find five oversized men crowding the space, eating from the platters of food he had ordered from room service. Dane took a large step back, equally shocked by the strangers crowding the space and how they were eating his shrimp cocktail, chocolate covered strawberries, and stuffed mushrooms. He distanced himself while he tried to piece together what was going on.

  “What the fuck?” Dane shouted, still baffled by the scene before him.

  “Hi, Hyrum — thanks for the snack!” Jasper chimed in, mouth full of food while pointing to the badge fixed to the left side of his shirt.

  Seth jumped in, mouth full of baguette and artichoke spread. “Hear you’re an unwelcome friend of Molly’s…”

  “I certainly hope you are enjoying the accommodations, Mr. Kavecky,” Marcas added with a nod while tipping his glass of champagne in Dane’s direction. “Your satisfaction is our top priority.”

  “Oh my God, the food is great…” Forest complimented as he ate his fair share. “My compliments to the chef, O’Reilly!”

  Marcas nodded in thanks while moaning through the plate of large shrimp cocktail sitting in front of him. “Only the best at the Pine Valley Grand. I can eat this shit for days…”

  “Well, I wouldn’t know since you guys are eating all of my fucking food,” Dane chided.

  Seth set his plate down while sliding to the edge of his seat, arms crossed and propped on his knees, with a serious scowl centered on Barbie guy. “Looks like you are expecting company. Hope we aren’t…imposing.”

  “Well, yeah, maybe…” Dane began, until Seth rose to his feet, shoulders back and chest puffed, cutting him off.

  “Molly won’t be joining you…Dane,” Seth said with emphasis on his real name.

  Dane let out a nervous laugh, as if Seth wasn’t a threat and his four friends were nothing but cheerleaders. “I think she can decide that for herself.”

  Marcas stood, taking his round with the jackass. “She did. I was there, remember?”

  Remembering who Marcas was struck Dane like a brick wall, his expression giving away the awareness that flooded him. Dane tossed Marcas a distinct glare as if his presence earlier that day was a fresh annoyance.

  “Here’s how this is going to work, Dane. You’re going to grab your shit and leave town,” Seth said, taking a step in Dane’s direction. “You’re going to forget about Molly and forget how to get here. You follow me?”

  “Fuck you!” Dane retorted.

  The rest of the men stood ready to intercept when Seth lunged forward, narrowing the space between himself and Dane.

  “Who the hell are you guys to her, anyway? And what business is she of yours?” Dane asked before a sudden distorted epiphany full of disgusting innuendo unleashed. “Oh, I get it. She’s doing all of you? Kinky, but okay.”

  As if the planets aligned, the heavens opened, and all five men had the same idea cross their minds in the same moment. The four men holding Seth back let him go in unison, and he unleashed his fury on Barbie Biker guy with the good hair. A few good punches to the gut, then a nice uppercut to the jaw, and the four men pulled him back again, as if it was some common order and Seth reached his maximum punching privileges.

  “She’s my fucking business, asshole.” Seth launched one last shot to the gut before putting his hands in the air, letting the guys know he was done.

  “All right, big guy. You got a few in. You’re good. He needs to be able to ride that piece of shit bike out of here,” Hunter said, a heavy hand on Seth’s shoulder, offering support and warning.

  “Are you really just going to stand there, Sheriff? I want to press charges. This asshole hit me, and you all saw it!” Dane said to the group, one arm wrapped around his waist and the other holding his already swelling jaw.

  “I didn’t see anything. You guys see anything?” Sheriff Jasper asked the men around him, not taking his pointed stare off Dane while he delivered his final threat. “Hey, Marc, you want to press charges against this asshole for using a stolen credit card? I can nail him with identity theft too — that’s a can of worms that will land him with hard time.”

  “Do it, Marc. He can find a new girlfriend in prison,” Forest said, getting in on the threats. He was an asshole like that.

  “Be someone’s girlfriend, you mean. He’s a real pussy, treating women the way he does,” Seth threw in like salt on an already gaping wound. “He can be someone’s good time.”

  Fear raced through Dane, and he began to sweat as his knees shook in weakness. He may have acted like a royal badass, but at the end of the day, it was all a cheap gimmick. Dane wasn’t more than a two-bit loser. Prison wasn’t his end game or part of his plan.

  “F-F-Fine, I’ll go.” He shrugged away from the huddle the men held him in and made his final say on the matter. “I just need my bag and helmet.”

  Marcas called security to haul Dane out of the hotel. Their mission was to escort him out of town by way of following him until he was several towns away and still going, ensuring his departure was legitimate and Dane wouldn’t be a problem again.

  Seth sat down, running his hands through his hair and letting out a deep sigh. “Now what?”

  “Get your girl back, asshole!” Hunter said.

  “How? I was a jerk!” Seth admitted.

  “No…you were an asshole!” Forest corrected in a less than flattering offer of support.

  “That says something coming from Forest,” Jasper confirmed. “He knows asshole!”

  “Okay, fine…I was an asshole,” Seth admitted. “Now what?”

  It was a well-known fact that Hunter was a bit of a ladies’ man — a real playboy prior to finding the one. He took on the pep talk like a real mentor, offering his words of wisdom like he wrote the book on women. “You grovel. Tell her you’re an ass and apologize until she can’t stand the sound of your voice anymore and forgives you!”

  “You guys sound like you know from experience.” Seth chuckled, sullen mood hanging over him.

  The men chuckled as they each recalled the not so graceful journey to love. If they had learned anything, it was that men liked to learn the hard way where their women were concerned. And they were never really in charge of this fate thing. In a pay-it-forward fashion, they each made a silent pact when they all walked over to the Pine Valley Grand Hotel to help their younger friend avoid some of their mistakes and get him back on the love train.

  “Why don’t you stay here?” Marcas said, looking around the room that was ready to be used. “The champagne is already iced — well, what’s left of it. I’ll send up another bottle. I’ll have the kitchen send up more food too, maybe a few candles. Women like that.” Marcas presented as a solid date night plan.

  “Oh! Have them do those rose petals and bubbly things for the bath too!” Forest excitedly offered. That earned him a sideways glance from his brother, the ex-military behemoth. It was as if Forest broke some sort of macho guy code for knowing about rose petals and bath bombs. “What? Chicks love that!”

  Seth shook his head and chuckled at the direction their conversation had wandered. “That’s awesome, man, but how do I even get her here? I’m probably the last person she’ll talk to right now.”

  Marcas smiled and tilted his head, as if it were the least of their worries. He had a plan, a good one. “I’ll have Libby and Cady take up that task. I’ll give them a key. They can be pretty…persuasive.”

  Less than an hour had passed, and Seth had candles lit, several large domed platters had just arrived from room service, Biker Barbie was confirmed to be headed back to wherever he came from, and Seth was fucking nervous. This was a lot of food to eat by himself if Molly didn’t show up, he thought to himself before hearing the mechanical lock of the door engage. Molly.

  Seth stood as she entered the room, peering around with a look of confusion, unsure what to make of the scene. Molly’s eyes landed back on Seth, her sweet grin quickly replaced with a scowl, forgetting the setting they were in and remembering he wasn’t her favorite perso
n at the moment. Her arms crossed, and she raised an eyebrow, not willing to give an inch, waiting for Seth to explain what she was doing there…as if it wasn’t obvious.

  He sheepishly said, “Hello.”

  Molly didn’t say a word, just scanned the room once more, identifying the details he had planned. Champagne, candles, fancy foods, but it was mostly his nervousness that her attention lagged on. Molly knew what this was about and what it was he was trying to do. Clever, she thought, that he recruited Cady and Libby to get her there. She wouldn’t have come otherwise.

  He felt awful, that was apparent, and she wanted to forgive him because that was just Molly. But he wasn’t getting off that easy, though his attempt was sweet and chivalrous. Seth had hurt her. And Molly was going to make sure he remembered this so he never did it again. He could feel like crap just a little longer.

  With her arms still crossed, Molly cocked her hip, plastering on her best I’m still pissed but I’m listening, especially since I see tiramisu over there face.

  Seth opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His words were as they always were when she was around: lost. “I’m sorry.” Simple and to the point, it had to count for something.

  “Really? Why?” Molly asked, prompting him to grovel a bit more.

  “I overreacted. I should have asked — then listened.” Seth carefully tiptoed around the issue, trying to take responsibility for his actions without reminding Molly of just how much of a jerk he had been.

  “Ya think?” Molly laid on the guilt. Seth’s wallowing was a good indication of just how much he did care about her and how much there was to save.

  “Marcas told me — actually, Jasper did. Marcas went to him after he saw you, and—”

  “So, you’ll believe Jasper, you’ll believe Marcas — hell, you’ll even believe Evelyn Shirley, but not me! Good to know, Seth.” Molly turned to walk away, that forgiveness she had been holding onto just revoked. Admitting it took the brothers and an O’Reilly to convince him she was being honest, and her word clearly meant shit, was almost worse than the rejection he’d already doled out.